On the evening of March 10, 2016 more than 150 individuals attended a forum in eastern Loudoun focused on improving landscaping practices for stream health, water quality and the environment. Hosted by The Piedmont Environmental Council in partnership with Loudoun County, Common Space for the Greater Good presented solutions for Home Owners Associations and residents to restore streams, reduce pollution and attract birds, bees and butterflies – and provided real-life examples that have been adopted by many communities in Loudoun and elsewhere.
Bri West
Bri West is the director of outreach and communications for The Piedmont Environmental Council.
Legislation to Benefit Land Conservation
We are excited to announce that Congress recently passed legislation to permanently enhance the federal income tax deduction for the donation of a conservation easement. The new law allows conservation easement donors to deduct their donation at the rate of 50 percent of their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) per year, and they can carry forward any excess contribution for as many as 15 years. Further, a qualified farmer can deduct their easement donation at the rate of 100 percent of AGI per year, potentially paying no federal income tax for the next 15 years.
March 2016: Update on the Remington-Gordonsville transmission proposal
An update in regards to the 230-kV transmission line proposed between Gordonsville and Remington. The process before the state has begun and we wanted to make sure you know about some important upcoming meetings.
Mill Run Elementary School’s New & Improved Outdoor Classroom
Over the past year, Mill Run Elementary in Ashburn, VA, partnered with The Piedmont Environmental Council for a pilot project to create a naturally landscaped outdoor classroom and enhance the surrounding habitat.
Look at All the Stars!
A few weeks ago, friends from D.C. were visiting for the weekend. As the evening wore on, we found ourselves outside discussing current events, the latest gossip, and our plans for the fall—when, inevitably, eyes turned toward the sky, and I heard something I often hear from friends visiting, “Wow! Look at all the stars.”
Conservation Easement Enforcement Goes Before the Virginia Supreme Court
UPDATE: On Feb 12, 2016, the Virginia Supreme Court issued a ruling in Wetlands America Trust, Inc. v. White Cloud Nine Ventures, L.P. The decision by the Virginia Supreme Court affirms the validity of perpetual conservation easements in the Commonwealth. Troublingly though, the court clarified the standard of review for conservation easements as “strict construction,” which means the presumption on any ambiguity will be a finding in favor of the “free use of land.”
At a practical level, the ruling will impact how land trusts steward current easements and underscores the importance of specificity in the drafting of future easements.
10/1/15: Update on Warrenton-Wheeler Transmission Line Case
Following a two day evidentiary hearing in Richmond in August 2015 and one final public hearing was held in Warrenton on August 10, 2015, the Warrenton to Wheeler transmission line case is slowly moving towards resolution.
Tri-County Feeds Reinvests in Conservation & Preservation in the Piedmont
In an effort to ‘Reinvest’ in our beloved Piedmont Region, Tri-County donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of our branded TCF Horse Feeds to the conservation and preservation efforts of the Goose Creek Association and The Piedmont Environmental Council. For more information, please visit the Tri-County Feeds website, call 540-364-1891 or stop by their retail store in Marshall, VA.
A Great Day at Chapman DeMary Trail
We were excited to team up with The Nature Generation this summer on an educational/volunteer event at the Chapman DeMary Trail in Loudoun County.
19 students and educators from Indonesia were guided through water monitoring efforts by experts from The Piedmont Environmental Council, Loudoun Valley High School and Loudoun Watershed Watch.
Background on Warrenton-Wheeler-Gainesville
Dominion and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) are pursuing a new 230kV transmission line through Prince William County and Fauquier, stating current or future reliability issues associated with the Warrenton Substation in Fauquier County, and the Wheeler and Gainesville Substations in Prince William County, as the reason for the project.